Here’s my new favorite grilling dish:
Take a couple of pints of tomatoes (like grape) and slice each in half (or if you’re lucky to have them already, use 2-4 summer tomatoes, remove the core and and chop into imperfect chunks. Place tomatoes and their juices in a large bowl. Add one finely chopped shallot (or 2 if they’re small), some fleur de sel (regular fine sea salt is good too, but this is a perfect opportunity to use the top shelf salt), several grinds of black pepper, a hearty splash of sherry vinegar (you could also use balsamic), and a drizzle of olive oil (again, use the good stuff here if you have it). Toss to combine, taste to see if it needs more vinegar, salt, or maybe a pinch of sugar if the tomatoes are less than sweet. Set tomato salad aside to the flavors can meld.
Take one loaf of good crusty bread (so like a pugliese) and cut it into thick slices.
Grill each side of the toast on a not too hot grill (you don’t want to incinerate the bread) so that it becomes golden on each side, maybe a little charred on the edges (keep an eye on them, flipping frequently, and place a platter nearby so you can remove the toasts as soon as they look done).
Cut a clove of garlic in half. Rub one side of each slice of toasted bread with the garlic. Then spread the garlic side with soft goat cheese.
Take your tomato salad and spoon some on top of each slice of bread. Sprinkle with torn basil leaves. Serve with lots of napkins. Enjoy!
